Tips: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Twelve simple things to check around the house

What kind of light bulbs do you use?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) with the ENERGY STAR® label provide bright, warm light and use about 75% less energy than standard lighting. Each bulb produces 75% less heat, lasts up to 10 times longer, and can save you $30 or more per bulb over the bulb's lifetime. There are CFLs for both indoor and outdoor use.

To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0°F.

Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider buying a new unit.

Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible. About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes in a conventional top-load washer is for heating the water. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half. Learn more about efficient laundry.

Do you air dry dishes?

Let your dishes air dry. If you don't have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the final rinse and prop the door open slightly so the dishes will dry faster. Learn more about efficient dishwashing.

Do you have a programmable thermostat?

You can install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours, for example by turning down air conditioning when you are at work.